49ers news: Agent says Nick Bosa will be highest-paid non-QB

The 49ers have already promised to make Nick Bosa very rich, but he’s on track to be the most expensive non-quarterback out there, according to one expert.

Heading into the 2022 regular season, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said that Pro Bowl EDGE Nick Bosa wouldn’t just be part of the team for a long time but “he’s going to get paid handsomely to do so.”

Having passed his first year of eligibility for a new deal, Bosa now stands poised not just to be the 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year but also to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league right now.

That distinction goes to Los Angeles Rams All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald at an annual average value of $31.67 million per year, according to Over the Cap.

Bosa, who led the NFL with 18.5 sacks last season, will likely eclipse that mark, according to one former agent with excellent insight into how contracts work.

How much will 49ers pay Nick Bosa on new contract?

Bosa was eligible for an extension last offseason, but Lynch stressed the Niners’ previous history of negotiating such deals with players as they enter the final year of the contract they are on.

In Bosa’s case, the 2019 No. 2 overall NFL Draft pick, he’ll enter his fifth-year option if not extended.

San Francisco doesn’t want that to happen, of course, but it won’t be a cheap way to go.

According to CBS Sports’ Joel Corry, a former agent himself, Bosa’s accolades and the market will combine to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league today:

"[Nick Bosa’s agent, Brian Ayrault] has the ammunition to insist on a bigger percentage increase since Bosa is more accomplished than his brother [Chargers EDGE Joey Bosa]. Bosa has a league-leading 34 sacks over the last two seasons. The elder Bosa has never won Defensive Player of the Year honors, let alone been named first-team All-Pro."

For what it’s worth, Joey Bosa’s contract is worth an average of $27 million per year and had $78 million guaranteed, per OTC.

Corry continued:

"It wouldn’t be a surprise if Ayrault had $35 million per year as his salary floor for a new deal. Making Bosa the league’s first $35 million per year non-quarterback would be 10.53% more than Donald’s deal. …Typically, an edge rusher is not only the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player, but also the highest-paid non-quarterback. Since 2016, five different edge rushers have signed contracts making them the highest-paid non-quarterback. In chronological order, they are Von Miller (2016), Khalil Mack (2018), Garrett (2020), Joey Bosa (2020) and T.J. Watt (2021)."

Read More: Nick Bosa better get NFL DPOY or we riot

It appears as if Nick Bosa winds up being the next in line among the top outside pass-rushers in the league right now, and the market fully indicates they’ll be paid exceptionally well.

Just like Lynch said last offseason.

Will 49ers extend Nick Bosa soon?

The goal, of course, is for both parties to get a new deal done before any sort of contractual standoff, holdouts or whatever kick in.

Bosa has already said he’ll be patient with such a deal, and Lynch reiterated the same thing in San Francisco’s end-of-year press conference after being eliminated in the 2023 NFC Championship game:

"You look the last five years, working backward with Deebo [Samuel] and before that it was Fred [Warner] and [George] Kittle and Trent [Williams] and Jimmy [Garoppolo] of getting our players done, but it takes time, it takes patience, it takes persistence, and we’ll have that on our side."

Or, the 49ers could simply write a blank check and hand it to Bosa. He’s worth it.